The Plot Thickens
by GejimayuGirl
Summary: A spinoff from "Wounded," but with a prologue so it sort of stands on its own. Ino and Kankuro team up in an effort to split up Temari and Shikamaru. Sit back and enjoy the hijinks. Rated for language and suggestive themes. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I know… the last thing I need right now is to start another damn story…. But I've had this brewing for a while… ever since the introduction of Ino to Kankuro in "Wounded." I'm putting this chapter out there to test the response.

As soon as I wrote Chapters 6 and 7 of "Wounded," I knew I'd want to carry on this storyline – the conflict and potential for crack romance is just too juicy to pass up! I decided to make it a spinoff story so it wouldn't interfere with the main plot in "Wounded."

I'm not sure what to do next from here that's not going to be a total cliché…. But I'll try. Anyway, read and review to let me know if you'd like to see more. Obviously, the title is a working title.

My peeps who are reading "Wounded" and know the lead-up can skip the prologue and go on to Chapter 1.

I've written the prologue to put the story in context for people who haven't read "Wounded" because Chapter 1 kind of starts out of nowhere if you don't know what's going on. I really hope you will read "Wounded," but if you don't want to read the whole thing, I still strongly recommend you at least read the end of Chapter 4 and all of Chapter 6 – lots of development between Shikamaru and Ino that is relevant to this story.

**Thank you, SilverWolfStar, for beta-reading this for me!**

Kishimoto-san created these characters and this series. I just write silly stories about them.

* * *

**Prologue**

"Okay, everybody!" Sakura announced over the carnival speakers. "Here's the deal. We're going to play Ferris wheel roulette. Guys line up on one side and ladies on the other. Chop chop!" She pulled a lever and two walls rose from the ground, blocking the two lines' views of each other. "You get who you get. No substitutions, exchanges or refunds."

Temari shrugged. "It could be fun."

"I bet I can arrange it so we end up together," Shikamaru bragged, squeezing her hand.

"I'm sure you can," she replied, trying to look and sound bored but failing miserably. It was clear they were smitten with each other.

Kiba felt lonelier than ever watching them. "I dunno what I'd say to some girl I don't know." He wished Hinata were there with him. They'd split up recently and he was still miserable. Shikamaru had practically dragged him here.

"Stop being a baby. You're getting on the Ferris wheel." Shikamaru pushed him into the guys' line, spying Ino and giving her a covert hand signal when Hinata wasn't looking.

"Ino, are you sure this is a good idea?" Hinata looked intensely unhappy and nervous.

"C'mon…. Where's your sense of adventure? You could meet a total hottie."

The last thing Hinata was thinking about was meeting 'a total hottie.' She wished Kiba were there with her. She knew it was all her fault he'd left her. She felt terrible.

"Let the game begin! Hey-oh!" Sakura cried as she admitted the first pair of riders into a partitioned car.

The line moved quickly and soon Ino climbed in. "See you on the other side, Hina!"

She watched, pleased with herself, as Hinata and Kiba unsuspectingly boarded their compartment below.

"Shika! We pulled it off! It's only a matter of time now." Ino pushed open the partition and raised her hand for a high five.

"What'd you and my sister's asshole boyfriend pull off?"

Her jaw dropped when she discovered Kankuro looking back at her instead of Shikamaru. _'Damn it! I was sure we coordinated so we'd end up in the same car… Probably left me hanging for Miss Thing. Ugh.'_

"Don't ask…"

"'Kay. I'm Kankuro."

"Ino. I think we've met before." They shook hands.

"Come to think of it, you do look familiar."

"So…" she searched in the air for small talk. "How's life in Suna?"

"Meh… a lotta sand. Hot as Hell. Comin' here's a nice break." He leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "Plus Temari's in a better mood when she gets to see Shithead. Tem in a better mood means we're all in a better mood."

Ino laughed at Kankuro's commentary on his tempestuous sister and Shikamaru.

_'Y'know, in normal clothes, without the face paint and stupid kitty hat, he actually looks kind of tasty,'_ she thought.

"I've never seen you without your puppets and battle gear. You like doing this civilian stuff?"

"Yeah… Nothing like loadin' up on junk food and then tryin' to make yourself puke it up on rides." Kankuro added with a charming smile, "Not to mention that instead of bein' in the desert with a bunch of dolls, I'm up in the sky with a cute girl right now. Can't exactly complain about that."

"Well…" Ino cocked her head to the side and twirled the end of her ponytail around her index finger. "That's sweet of you to say. You're not so bad yourself."

"Really?" The older boy stretched his arms, letting one rest across the back of her seat as it came down. "I'm intrigued. Tell me more."

* * *

**Chapter 1**

Kankuro stepped down from the car and held out a hand to help Ino down. She accepted it, marveling at how strong yet gentle his grip was. She commented on as much, tittering flirtily.

"Well, you know what they say about us puppet users… We're very good with our hands. Maybe I can show you sometime." He winked at her.

"Geez, how often do you use that line?" she breezed, strutting ahead of him. "Don't think you can pull that 'Cool Older Guy' crap over on me… I won't fall for it."

"Ahh… Good lookin', smart, and _feisty_! I like it." A sly smile decorated his face.

"Ino-san… is my idiot brother getting fresh with you?"

Temari didn't even wait for an answer before she smacked Kankuro on the back of the head.

"I swear… I can't take you anywhere."

"Ow! Bitch…" He rubbed the sore spot as he cursed his sister.

Ino suddenly had an idea.

"Quite the contrary, Temari-san..." Her voice took on a quality it hadn't possessed before, Kankuro noticed.

"Kankuro-kun is quite the charmer. We're getting along very well." She reached out and took his hand in hers.

He was confused at first, but went along with it.

"Yeah. Don't jump to conclusions."

"Whatever." Temari turned to walk away from them, dragging a flummoxed-looking Shikamaru behind her.

Kankuro raised his eyebrows. "Good lookin', smart, feisty, and conniving… Nice. What've you got up your sleeve, femme fatale?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Ino stared at him as he shook his head. She didn't think to release his hand as they walked a short distance behind Shikamaru and Temari.

"You don't like Shikamaru dating your sister, right?"

"Hell, no," he answered, also forgetting about their interlaced fingers.

"And I don't like it, either, for my own reasons…"

"You, too?" he questioned, frustrated. "What is it about that guy? All I see when I look at him is a huge tool, but you girls think he's a frickin' gift from on high. I don't get it."

"That's not the point," she cut in. "The point is that we both want them broken up. Right?"

"Well… yeah."

"So we can help each other."

"How?"

Once again, she looked at him with an expression that clearly stated her belief that he was an idiot.

"Shikamaru won't admit it, but he kind of wants me. I can tell by how sexy I am."

"Wow, you're humble," Kankuro snarked.

"Modesty is for ugly people," Ino huffed. "At least that's what Daddy says."

"Okay… points for honesty," he chuckled.

"Thank you. So anyway, when Temari sees Shika getting jealous over me, she'll dump him. Poof! He's mine again and you don't have to put up with him anymore."

"Damn, you're devious… I might want to keep you for myself." He was genuinely interested in just how deep this girl's sneaky brand of cunning went.

"Keep your mind on task!" she ordered, earning her another impressed look from the puppeteer. "How good are you at acting?"

"Not very, but this'll be a piece of cake. I've always had a thing for daddy's girls."

* * *

"Temari?"

"Yeah?"

"I've got to tell you something."

"Sounds serious... what is it?"

Shikamaru cleared his throat as he sat down on a bench with Temari in front of his apartment building a couple of days after the carnival.

"Ino kinda... sorta... kissed me."

He held up his arms in anticipation of the beatdown. "Please don't bruise me too badly. My mom will be pissed if my body's too messed up to show at the funeral."

Temari, famous throughout the Sand, the Leaf, and beyond for her brutal temper, responded in a surprisingly calm manner to this news, simply asking, "Well, did you kiss her back?"

"No..."

"Then you didn't do anything wrong. I trust you."

Shikamaru's jaw dropped at how easy that exchange was.

"Now, that bleach-blonde bimbo, on the other hand..." She cracked her knuckles. "I owe _her_ a talking-to."

The usually cool and collected shadow nin sweatdropped, thinking better of reminding his girlfriend that the hair color of the "bimbo" in question was natural. He looked up to see an interesting diversion from the tense moment.

"Looks like you'll have to pry her away from him." He laughed from amusement, relief, and another emotion he couldn't quite place.

Temari followed Shikamaru's gaze. Sure enough, approaching the couple was a grinning Kankuro, with a squealing Ino flung over his shoulder.

"Well, she moves on fast," Temari remarked dryly, observing the flirting pair. "They fit the 'jock and cheerleader' stereotype perfectly... how _cute._ Gag…"

"Aw, c'mon, Tem..." Shikamaru chided. "Looks like they're having fun. They're not hurting anybody. In fact, this'll probably get them both off our backs."

"Good point."

Shikamaru, despite his performance, wasn't sure how he felt about this new development. He didn't _envy_ Kankuro (a genius is above such things), but something was bothering him, and he worried Temari would sense that. He was both relieved and further unnerved when Kankuro arrived in front of them, dropping Ino onto her feet.

"Hey, Sis."

"What was that for, you big meanie?" Ino swatted his shoulder harmlessly and batted her eyelashes, a playful look of offense on her face.

"I had to prove to you that you're _not fat_, silly girl. Look how far I carried you, and I didn't even break a sweat. You're light as a feather."

"Maybe it just seems that way because you're so strong…" She traced a finger along Kankuro's bicep, a gesture that was not lost on Shikamaru. She'd done the same thing to him just a few days before.

"Oh, come off it. You know you're gorgeous. Don't make me carry you to Suna and back." He put his arms around her as if to pick her up again, and she squirmed, giggling.

"So, guys…" Temari broke into the conversation, reminding them that she and Shikamaru were sitting there. "We were just going to dinner. Care to join us?"

'_Keep your brother close and the tramp closer,'_ she thought as she plastered on a fake smile. She was determined to figure out what the hell Ino was doing with Kankuro and put a stop to it.

Temari didn't trust this chick any farther than she could throw her skinny ass. She'd already tried to steal her boyfriend. She was trouble, and Kankuro had plenty of that already without her sniffing around him.

"Well… uh… sure," Ino accepted. "I just need to go by the bank to get some cash out."

"Don't worry about that," Kankuro responded, as he was coached to in this type of situation. "I'll take care of your meal. No problem. How expensive can that rabbit food you eat be?" He'd improvised that last part. It had to be believable, right?

Ino let the wisecrack slide for the moment. "Oh, you…" She kissed him lightly on the cheek, eliciting a laugh. It was the only thing he could do to keep himself from blushing. This may have been an act, but it wasn't exactly a stretch for him to appear interested in the wily blonde.

Shikamaru was growing more uncomfortable by the minute. If he didn't know any better, he'd think Ino was trying to make him…

"Shikamaru!" Temari's voice derailed his train of thought. "Stop staring off into space and come on, lazy bum!" The group was already a few paces ahead of him.

"All right, troublesome woman…" He grudgingly followed, dreading what might come next.

Ino linked her arm in Kankuro's as they walked. "He's turning green already," she whispered in his ear. "I can read him like a book."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Got a pretty good response with the first chapter, so here I am with another part. I'm hoping to keep this shorter than "Wounded" and "After All," but we'll see where it takes me. I know how I want it to end, but I'm trying to figure out a way to get there that doesn't play out like a cheesy teen movie. Bleh.

Anyway, new installment. I'm taking suggestions for titles. Should I just keep "The Plot Thickens," or scrap it for something totally different?

I apologize in advance for the short chapter, but I knew I needed to get something fresh out there. You guys seemed to really like Chapter 1! Thanks for keeping me on track. :)

There are some pretty heavy references in this chapter to InoShika developments that occurred in "Wounded," so if you haven't, I'd recommend reading the parts I listed in the author's notes in Chapter 1.

Speaking of "Wounded" - I have a poll on my profile page about a bit of plot coming up. Be sure to vote after you've read Chapter 10, please.

Kishimoto-san still holds the Naruto universe in his hands… If I owned it, Rock Lee and the rest of Team Gai would get a hell of a lot more panel and screen love.

A couple of Japanese words:

Neko - kitty

Usagi - bunny

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"I can't believe her, hanging all over my brother like that," Temari groused, watching Kankuro walk away from the restaurant with Ino on his arm.

"It didn't seem too bad to me," Shikamaru lied. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

In truth, he thought his head might explode. He had just been subjected to an hour of watching his ex-girlfriend interact with the sand shinobi. She hung on his every word. She laughed at all of his stupid jokes. She put her hand on his and whispered things in his ear.

These things might have been tolerable if Ino hadn't pinned Shikamaru to a wall and jammed her tongue down his throat just a few days before. Memories assaulted his mind; he remembered longing and regret that he'd locked away and boarded up.

He had Temari now, and she was his equal and match in every way. He was really happy. But of course, just when life was starting to go smoothly, something troublesome like this had to happen. Trying to sort it all out was making his brain hurt.

"I guess you're right... Maybe she's harmless after all," Temari replied. "I'm still keeping my eye on her, though."

Shikamaru felt like a complete asshole for being so indecisive. It was like playing shogi with his father - he was caught in a checkmate. Anything he chose to do would hurt someone.

He sighed, looking down at Temari's hand in his. "Not a bad idea, babe."

* * *

Dinner was a gloriously awkward success, but as soon as Shikamaru and Temari were out of earshot, Ino started hissing a gripe at Kankuro.

"'Rabbit food?' Really?"

"Well, that's what you ordered, wasn't it?"

"This plan won't work if I don't watch my figure."

"It wouldn't kill ya to have a steak once in a while. I've been watching your figure all day, and from where I'm standing, it's Grade A."

"Whatever," Ino sighed. "Anyway, don't ad-lib."

Kankuro took the toothpick out of his mouth, flicking it over his shoulder. "I'm a_ puppeteer_, not a _puppet_. I can't follow your script too close. Temari'll see right through it."

"Why?"

"Well… 'Cause the way you want me to say stuff is… kinda gay."

She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes in irritation. "Fine… I guess we'll _have_ to improvise since you're bad at taking direction."

"Don't get so worked up. I've got this. I have no problems playing the role of your boytoy. I mean, we've established that you're a knockout. I am clearly a stud. From the outside, it totally makes sense."

Ino knew Kankuro's type well. His arrogance was just a facade, but she decided to give him a little guff over it anyway.

"Nobody will buy it if you talk like that. Everyone knows I'd never be with a guy who's cockier than me."

"Ah…. Feminine double standards. Love 'em."

"I'm the pretty one in the relationship – it's my prerogative."

She swayed her hips as she walked, which did not go unnoticed by her male companion.

"Seriously, though, your attitude might get us in trouble if you don't watch it, Neko-chan," she sassed when they arrived at her door.

"Aw… you had to talk smack about my hat, didn't you? I'm not even wearing it today!"

"I'm trying to bring you down a peg or two so you don't blow our cover."

"Well, at least you and I know I'm hot. It'll be our little secret." He nudged her side with an elbow.

"Take it easy with this 'ours' stuff. This is a mission. Nothing else."

"Whatever you say, Usagi-chan." Kankuro propped himself against the wall, gazing at Ino lazily. "I think you're just saying that 'cause you're afraid you're gonna fall in love with me."

"Pssh. Dream on."

He gave her an amused smile that made his eyes crinkle. "I dunno… you might not want to discount me so fast. You may just miss out on something if you do."

"Oh, come on… could you lay it on any thicker?" She rolled her eyes.

"If you ask nicely…" He leaned toward her a bit. "…beg, maybe?"

"Do these cheesy lines _ever_ work for you?"

He eased an index finger under her chin. "Sometimes."

She froze. "Yeah?"

He ran his thumb across her bottom lip. "Yeah…"

Suddenly, their faces were less than an inch apart. Ino held her breath.

"But I'm sure it'd take a lot more work than that to tame a filly like you."

Kankuro pushed off the wall, moving away from her as quickly as he'd closed in.

"See ya tomorrow."

"Bye," was all she could say as she watched him take off in the direction of the Suna embassy.

Had he really just done that? What's more, had she fallen for it? Had she thought he was going to kiss her? Did she _want_ him to?

She shook the absurd thoughts from her head. They were working together – nothing more. He was just playing around. She ignored the tug of disappointment she felt upon reaching this conclusion.

'_I'm just feeling insecure about Shika rejecting me, and to compensate, I'm taking Kankuro's meaningless flirting personally,'_ she reasoned with herself.

She went inside and quickly changed for bed, trying her best to dismiss her strange combination of emotions while she settled her head into the pillow.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Sorry this is so short – having a full-time job and an internship cuts into free time. I'm really hoping to write more soon.

Please check out my other stories, especially if you're into the Sakura/Naruto, Sakura/Lee or Hinata/Kiba pairings. I'm working on chapter stories for all of those couples. I also have a few oneshots featuring Ino/Shika, Temari/Shika and L/Light from Death Note. To those of you who came over to this story from "Wounded" or any of my other stories: You rock! I thrive on reviews.

Kishimoto-san owns Naruto and all of his friends, not me. *le sigh*

**Edit: Tweaked a few words/sentences and added to the end to make it flow better. Wanted to take advantage of the puppet imagery.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

"Lee told me he saw you out with Temari and Shikamaru… and Kankuro," Sakura whispered. "Dare I ask if there's something going on there?"

"Well…" Ino selected her words carefully as they walked down the hospital hall. She trusted her childhood best friend with her life, but she didn't think it wise to reveal her plan to anyone. Cryptic was the way to go. "Maybe a _little_ something..."

"How long?"

"Since the carnival the other night. We wound up together on the Ferris wheel."

"Oh, how I love matchmaking…" The pink-haired kunoichi beamed. "Speaking of that, how are Hinata and Kiba?"

"As far as I know, they're back together, but it's kinda weird. Shikamaru says sometimes Kiba comes over to hang out with him just to get out of their apartment when he's in a crappy mood."

"Man… that must be tough. I hope everything works out for them." Sakura paused in concerned thought, then refocused. "What's Kankuro like? He's so mysterious most of the time. I've barely even heard him speak."

"When he's not in 'bodyguard' mode, he's a smartass and totally full of himself," Ino started, but added, "Most of it's just his way of trying to look cool, though. It's kind of cute." When the unintentional last four words escaped her mouth, she caught herself smiling involuntarily.

"It _must_ be cute, if the goofy grin you're wearing right now is any indication," Sakura giggled.

'_Damn…' _ Ino thought.

"Yeah," was all she let herself say before she and Sakura turned in opposite directions at the end of the hall to see their patients. "See you later."

* * *

"What's with you and Barbie?"

"Whaddaya mean?" Kankuro stretched on the couch, placing his open copy of _The Adventures of Pinocchio_ on the end table, page side down to keep his place.

"I mean," Temari asked annoyedly, "Why _her_ of all people? It's almost like you picked my boyfriend's ex on purpose."

"It was a fluke. I got on the Ferris wheel, and there she was," he responded in defense. "After we talked for a while, I decided I like her. That's it." That much was the truth. He didn't divulge his other motives.

He continued with a little white lie: "And for some reason or another, she seems to like me."

"She must really be desperate for some attention without Shikamaru around," Temari half-teased her brother as she walked past him, mussing his hair.

"Tem, don't say that… seriously. That's really catty, even for you."

Temari did a comic double-take. "Whoa… you're defending her before even realizing I've just insulted you, too… You're gonna marry this one."

"Screw you," Kankuro eloquently countered.

"I love you too, little brother." She started to saunter toward the door. "I'm going to Shikamaru's place. Don't wait up."

"Don't worry," he answered. "I never wait up out of concern for my sister… even if she's in a relationship with a guy who acts like he hates women."

"You know he's just kidding."

Kankuro rolled onto his stomach, resting his chin on folded arms. "He's still a jerk."

"Don't make me kick your ass," she mock-whined. "The guilt will ruin my night."

"Sure... Go on."

"Okay. Bye."

Temari's hand paused on the doorknob for a few seconds.

"Despite all the mean things I say sometimes, I really want you to be happy. If you like her, go for it. I'll deal with it. I'm just asking you to be careful. I've heard things."

Kankuro bit his tongue to resist saying "…from her dickhead ex-boyfriend."

As Temari opened the door, Kankuro sincerely replied, "Thanks." She really could be cool sometimes, he thought.

"No problem." She smiled back at him as she closed it.

It was going to be really hard for him to break his sister's heart, but it was for the best. Nara didn't deserve her.

He found it slightly alarming that he'd known Ino for less than a week and he'd already become viciously defensive against Temari's questioning of her honor. It probably had something to do with the fact that the damn Nara kid was involved.

He didn't think Shikamaru deserved Ino, either, but that was none of his business. It was her choice. Despite that fact, it still bothered him to think about them together.

"Bah," he groaned. "I'm getting soft about a chick. No good. Need a distraction."

He picked up his book and resumed reading. At least he attempted to resume reading. Not even his all-time favorite story could keep his rebellious thoughts in check. He would read about halfway through a page, then a grumble of "Stupid jackass Nara" or "What the hell does she see in him?" would rise in his throat. He'd force himself to focus on the printed words again, but it never lasted long.

He eventually fell asleep, but even that didn't give him any reprieve. He dreamed he was a marionette, his every move subject to the whims of a very familiar-looking blonde fairy who controlled him with strings on a stage. A spiky-haired fellow came along to watch the show for a while, and when the beautiful fairy puppeteer noticed the newcomer, she dropped Kankuro in a heap of wooden limbs and flew away. In a subconscious refusal to watch _his_ fairy with that _other_ guy, he woke up.

_'I've got to lay off the fluffy reading before bed,' _Kankuro thought before he turned over and went back to sleep. '_That fairy was pretty hot, though...'_


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I know – it's been forever, but I'm hoping this longish chapter helps ease the pain a bit. I'm on break from school now so I'll have a bit of spare time in the next couple of weeks. I hope to have fresh updates posted on all my stories by early January.

The poll I posted about "Wounded" is currently locked in a tie, so if you haven't voted yet, please do so.

I'm also working on a One Piece fic. I'll see if SilverWolfStar will let you borrow Doshi for a day if you can guess what pairing I'm writing. Hint: Despite what my user picture might suggest, it's not Sanji/Zoro. ;)

Speaking of pictures, I have a challenge for you artists among my readers. I think some of the stuff that happens in this chapter would make for some interesting illustrations and I would be very flattered if anybody chose to produce one of those illustrations and show it to me. ^_^

Anyway, Naruto's world belongs to Kishi, not me. I just make up fanciful tales about some of the characters because I have an unhealthy obsession.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

"She interrogated me about you last night," Kankuro told Ino the next day as they lay side by side on the ground, staring up at the sky.

"Well," Ino mused, "this might not be as difficult as I thought."

She shifted her weight to face him. "You know, I used to think cloud-watching was boring, but it's really not so bad. It's sort of relaxing."

He turned to look at her as well. She'd cast her eyes skyward again and looked so peaceful - so serene and happy. He had no idea how he'd resisted the urge previously to kiss those delicious-looking lips. The temptation was ridiculous.

Ino spotted something over his shoulder. "Ooooh, Shika's coming!" she whispered, sitting up and tapping his arm. "Showtime, Neko-chan!"

Kankuro needed no further prompting. "Yes, director Usagi-chan…"

He pushed himself up to a sitting position beside her. He gently brushed the hair out of her face and behind her ear, resting his hand on the back of her neck. His dark eyes lingered on her bright, robin's egg blue ones.

"You're beautiful, y'know that?"

"You really think so?"

Despite the many admirers Ino had, none had described her as "beautiful." Being called "gorgeous" by Sai didn't count, she'd decided.

"I _know_ so… someone'd have to blind to not notice," Kankuro stated as he inched closer to her.

"I… I'm sorry," Ino interrupted, giggling. "That was _really_ sweet, but I just can't kiss a guy wearing a hat like that." She giggled even more at the perturbed expression her words induced from the puppet master as he quickly removed the offending headwear.

"There. Don't have any issues with the face paint, do ya?" He had applied his kabuki makeup in its usual style, with the exception of his lips. He'd left them bare.

She shook her head, leaned forward and answered softly, "I like purple."

* * *

Shikamaru needed to think. He needed quiet, fluffy clouds that wouldn't judge him, cry or kick the crap out of him for mulling over this particular matter. Romance was troublesome, he thought.

His sentiment was further cemented when he approached his usual spot and found Ino there… with Kankuro. And it looked like they were getting pretty friendly.

Shikamaru's face went hot. _'I've got to get out of here before they see me,'_ he thought.

"Shika!" Ino called, waving. Kankuro put an arm around her waist and also waved.

'_Damn.'_ He made his way slowly over to the pair, the word a mantra in his head. _'Damn. Damn. Damn. Damn.'_

"Hey, Ino… Kankuro." He nodded to the sand nin.

"What's up, Nara?" Kankuro asked cheekily, giving the girl wrapped in his arm a small but still obvious squeeze.

"Just taking a walk. Nice day." Shikamaru _hated_ making small talk, especially in awkward situations like this.

"Yeah, it's great!" Ino chimed in. She looked radiant, he noticed, smiling in the sun by the other shinobi's side. Seeing her that way ate at him in a fashion the he didn't think possible, especially when he noticed a small spot on her nose.

"Uh… Ino…"

"Yeah?"

"You've got something…" He gestured to his own nose.

Realization lit up Ino's face with a blush. "Oh! It must be face paint." She looked at Kankuro sheepishly. "Can you get it for me?"

Kankuro could not suppress a self-satisfied half grin. "Well, I did put it there. It's only fair, I guess." He shot Shikamaru a brief but meaningful look before taking the handkerchief Ino had pulled from her pocket and dabbing the indigo blotch away. "There ya go."

"Thanks… you're a little smeared now, too. Let me help." She took back the handkerchief and tidied up a few lines in his markings. She used the tip of her finger to blend the paint on his nose to cover the spot she'd taken from him. "There… much better."

"Thanks."

It was then they seemed to remember that Shikamaru was there.

"So," Ino asked sweetly, "what are your plans for the rest of the day?"

He needed an excuse to get away – he didn't want to be stuck watching them swap cosmetics all afternoon.

"I'm on Inuzuka-sitting duty. I just stepped out for a break."

That wasn't entirely untrue. Shikamaru had a feeling Kiba would be by his place later. Even though he and Hinata were back together, Kiba was still dealing with the fallout from the ordeal they'd been through. Shikamaru had become a confidante in the process.

"Poor Kiba," Ino cooed, turning to Kankuro and giving a brief explanation.

"Hinata? That's the girl who tried to fight Pein, right?"

"Yeah. That's what started it all. I really hope things work out for them. They're so great together." Ino put her head on Kankuro's shoulder to emphasize her point. To Shikamaru, it seemed that she did it just to taunt him.

"It sucks that you're busy," Ino said, lifting her head to look at Shikamaru. "We're going to the academy later to entertain the kids with a hypnotist and puppet show." She bounced a little from excitement, making her ponytail bob up and down.

"No mind-controlling _me_, got it?" Kankuro half-joked, remembering Ino's winged alter ego from the night before.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Ino replied innocently, crossing her fingers behind her back.

I saw that…" Kankuro sneered, tickling her ribs.

"No!" Ino squeaked in laughter. "Please… stop! I'm sorry. I won't… I… I promise… Now quit! I can't breathe!"

He complied, and once again they looked back to Shikamaru. This time, Kankuro spoke to him. "It really is too bad you can't be there, man. It's gonna be fun."

"Yeah," Shikamaru answered with a sigh, "but I'd better get back. Take care, guys."

"Bye!" Ino chirped as he walked away.

'_I can't believe this,_' Shikamaru thought as he made his way home_. 'Not only was she in __**my**__ spot; she was in __**my**__ spot __**making out**__ with a guy who wears more makeup than she does! She must be doing this on purpose to screw with me. It's too weird.'_

He opened the door to his apartment and, sure enough, Kiba was sitting on the living room floor with Akamaru, watching TV.

"Hey… sorry to just show up like this, but I really needed to get away for a little while. I can leave if you want."

"Nah. It's okay." Shikamaru took a seat on the couch behind the Inuzuka and the pony-sized canine. Maybe some mindless, passive entertainment would give his brain a break. After a few minutes, though, he grew restless.

"Kiba?"

"What's up?"

"How can you even _think_ about marriage? Women don't make any sense."

"Oh, really? What brought this on?" Kiba questioned.

"It's Ino… She's running in a serpentine pattern and I can't keep up. I have no idea what's going on between us."

Kiba turned to face Shikamaru with a small smile. "Sounds like an interesting story… and I've done enough bitching about relationships for a lifetime. I kind of owe you, so fire away, dude."

* * *

"That was epic!" Kankuro exclaimed, high-fiving Ino once Shikamaru was out of sight.

"Hell, yeah, it was," Ino agreed. "What a performance! The look on his face was priceless."

"You're a genius."

"Yeah… The face paint bit was pretty awesome, right?"

"Well, I was talking about what a brilliant kisser you are, but that was fun, too."

Kankuro immediately focused on a tree in the distance, attempting to pull off the "detached cool guy" look rather than letting his face betray what was really going through his mind: _'Oh, holy Kami, I really just said that out loud and now I can't make myself look her in the eyes. What the hell was I thinking just blurting that out? Shit.'_

"Aww… that's so nice, Neko-chan," Ino gushed, sassily adding, "You're not the only experienced kid on the block, you know." She dusted off her shoulders haughtily. "Your acting's not as bad as you led me to believe. You take cues really well. That was one hell of a stage kiss."

'_Stage kiss?'_ He'd almost forgotten this was supposed to be a ruse. He'd kind of gotten into the flirting and canoodling with Ino and started enjoying it. Getting under Nara's skin was just a perk at this point.

"But the tickling was too much. Don't do that again."

Kankuro's lips twisted into a pout. "You're no fun, Usagi-chan…" His voice took on the same teasing tone that it had when Shikamaru was present. His fingers attacked her sides again and soon, she was convulsing with laughter on her back, pleading for mercy.

"C'mon, Kankuro… Let me go… You're going to make me pee on myself!" she gasped. "Pleeeeeeease?"

"Oh, fine... But just because you're so sexy when you talk about pee." He let her go and offered a hand to help her sit up.

Ino didn't waste any time exacting her revenge. She placed the palms of her hands on Kankuro's cheeks and smeared his face paint as disastrously as she could before he lunged forward and grabbed the elastic band from her hair, setting free her long ponytail.

"Hey!" she cried, wrestling against both Kankuro and her hair. "That's playing dirty, bastard!"

"What happened to my nice girl who _fixed_ my paint instead of trashing it?" he asked, standing up and holding the hair containment device high above his head.

"She's… not… in… right now," Ino huffed between leaps, grabbing for the ponytail holder. "Can I take… a message?"

Kankuro caught her by the waist in midair. "You can give her this for me." He then proceeded to administer another "stage kiss."

When he finally put her down, Ino was dizzy from the adrenaline rush. He really was a great kisser, she thought. The air between them felt electrified. She was drunk on it. She stumbled a little, and when Kankuro moved to catch her, he too lost his footing and they began to fall. She squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the impact.

When she hit, Kankuro was beneath her. He had turned his body to break her fall, and landed with an unceremonious "Oof!" Now he looked extremely amused.

"You were_ so _scared just then. I wish you could've seen the look on your face."

"Don't be ridiculous… I was not!"

"You totally were."

"You know something? You're kind of comfy. I might stay here for a while." She made a big show of rolling off him, placing her head on his chest and settling into the grass.

"Glad to be of service…" he grumbled.

"Seriously, though… I was _not_ scared."

"Don't lie, sweetheart. It's bad for your complexion."

"I guess it would be a good idea to take beauty advice from the guy who wears makeup every day."

"Hey!" Kankuro looked at Ino in make-believe annoyance. "Not _every_ day."

It was a completely random and nonsensical sentence to get tickled over, but it sparked a laughing fit that lasted several minutes. When they would start to calm down, Ino would repeat, "Not every day! Ha!" or they'd simply look at each other and they'd start again. They would have looked like complete loons to anyone passing by, but they didn't care. They eventually quieted down when their sides started to get sore.

"Will you give me back my hair tie now?" Ino sighed tiredly once she caught her breath and wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Sure," Kankuro answered quietly. He sat up, propping her up with him. He swept her hair back, securing it in a low, loose ponytail that fell over her left shoulder.

This guy was actually a pretty nice one, Ino thought. She could be herself with him, not like when she was with Shikamaru – he made her feel stupid and condescended to.

She retrieved a small bottle of water from one of her weapon pouches and produced the handkerchief again, slowly smoothing away the violet mess she'd made across Kankuro's features.

"You look so much nicer when people can see your face." Ino smiled as she finished, leaving only the marks around his eyes. Kankuro did not miss this.

"So, you dig guyliner, eh?"

Ino fiddled with her new hairstyle. "A little…"

She shook her head to clear it of any other words that would give him the upper hand in the conversation and quickly added, "I was mainly concerned about gouging your eyes out, though."

"Suuuuuure. You keep tellin' yourself that. I know you think my look's hot."

"If you say so," she replied dismissively, stowing her cleaning supplies and pulling her knees up to her chest.

"This isn't going to be… weird later on, right? You know, what with all the mushy stuff?"

"Nah, I don't think so... Why? You fallin' for me after all?" He shot her a goading, arrogant look.

"Oh, absolutely, my darling fake boyfriend," the blonde replied, feigning a swoon into his arms. "I think I pretend love you."

Kankuro gazed down at the beauty he was holding with a chuckle.

'_I'm becoming a complete sucker for this girl,' _he realized_. 'How the hell did that happen?'_

"I think I pretend love you, too."


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Here's another chapter! Updates for my other stories are in the works, along with a couple of oneshots.

I had a good time writing this chapter. I played a little with the fourth wall – I didn't break it so much as I did a little tap-dance on top of it.

Speaking of dancing – there is a scene in here that is somewhat inspired by a picture I found on Deviantart - http:/ lexie-long. deviantart. Com /art /SYTYCD-konoha-kankuro-X-ino- 79924079?q=gallery%3 Alexie-long%2F105846&qo=78 (just take the spaces out, then copy and paste.)

This part of the story coincides with a point in "Wounded" after Kiba has had his breakthrough. It's very obvious in his mellow and helpful state. So here is Chapter 5 – in which Kiba is happy and dispenses sagelike advice to the other fellas. Enjoy!

Kishi's characters. My story.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

"Thank you, Iruka-san!" Kankuro crowed. "You did very well. Everyone give him a round of applause!"

The academy students clapped happily, giggling. Iruka had just, through Ino's mind control jutsu, spent the past two minutes scratching, pecking and strutting around the room like a chicken. Kakashi was trying to refrain from bolting out of the building in embarrassment after receiving a nip to the rear. He vowed that Inoichi would hear about his daughter's perverted misuse of the technique. He'd already had Gai, under the influence of Kankuro's chakra strings, sweep him up in a bridal-style carry and sweetly twirl him in circles from one end of the room to another, depositing him on his feet with a kiss on the hand (The green-clad man was still red in the face and unable to look at his rival)... Why did the young ninja in this town insist on mistreating him so? He pouted under his mask.

"All right…" Kankuro continued as Ino's previously inert form regained consciousness in the chair where it was sitting. "No more picking on the teachers… I require the talents of my lovely partner for this one."

Ino almost screamed in surprise when she felt her body moving of its own volition. She understood what was going on when she arrived at Kankuro's side.

"We didn't plan this – what are you doing?" she questioned in a sharp whisper.

"I got an idea earlier when I went back to the embassy," Kankuro answered quietly. "It'll be great. Stop tensing up."

"What are you doing?" she repeated insistently.

"C'mon – just go along with it. Relax. Trust me."

The combination of the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice when he said "Trust me" was impossible for Ino to ignore.

She remembered the way he had broken her fall earlier that day and how he'd handled her hair so gently.

She _did_ trust him.

She obediently let her body go limp.

* * *

"I just don't know…" Shikamaru groaned. "As soon as I think I'm over her, something happens to make me question it all over again. She's got some kind of weird power over me. It pisses me off."

"Welcome to love, my friend," Kiba responded sympathetically.

"Whoa… Slow down. I'm not sure if it's that serious."

"It sounds pretty serious to me. Think about it: You guys broke up on weird terms, but you're still friends. You try like hell to not think about her, but the harder you try, the worse it gets. And now you're seeing her with another guy and it's driving you crazy. This isn't just your standard case of dumper's remorse here. It's been months and it's still going on."

"But Temari…."

"…isn't here right now. That's just it. You're not with her right now – and why? Because you're here, whining to me about how you can't get somebody else out of your head."

"But…." Shikamaru started, but couldn't find any more words. He knew he was beat.

Kiba tried to lighten the mood. "Y'know, if I didn't have Hinata, I would gladly take Temari off your hands…"

"Hey! Watch it! She's still my girlfriend, y'know."

"But is she really the one you want?"

Shikamaru realized he was right back at square one in his thought processes.

"I don't know... Damn it! Relationships are such a drag."

"They can suck sometimes… but the bullshit is usually worth it." Kiba held an expression that was halfway between hopeful and dreamy.

"Speak for yourself," The ponytailed young man sighed. "Women are so much more trouble than they're worth."

"Not when you find the right one."

"I'm 16 years old. I'm not looking for 'the right one' yet."

"You still have to pick 'the right _now_ one.' You can't have both."

"I know…. I really just wish Ino hadn't done what she did… Things were going great with Temari until then."

"Maybe you should talk to her about it."

"Maybe… but I have no idea what to say."

"Here's a hint: I rehearsed my proposal for days, and it all went out the window the moment I needed it. I still came up with something, and Hinata still said 'yes,' though," Kiba grinned, patting Shikamaru on the back. "From my experience with this stuff, the best thing you can do is go with whatever comes to mind at the time. You won't remember anything you plan to say anyway when you're standing there looking at her."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

* * *

Kankuro-piloted legs carried Ino over to a record player she hadn't noticed before in the corner of the stage area. He guided her hands to turn on the machine and place the needle on the record the turntable held. After a few seconds, a gorgeous, lilting melody filled the room. If she hadn't been under the control of chakra strings, she would have frozen to the spot and simply listened. It was awe-inspiring. She closed her eyes fleetingly, absorbing the notes. It sounded like a live performance to her as Kankuro began to nimbly twist and whirl her body in an elegant dance.

Ino was a naturally self-confident girl. She knew herself to be attractive – sexy, even. She had also become a skilled medic and a finely-tuned kunoichi, but the closest she'd ever come to moving like this was her famous strut. This was completely different. She watched the room move around her as she involuntarily spun, jumped and stretched her arms skyward. She knew she wouldn't have been able to do this herself. She wasn't clumsy by any means, and her body type would lend itself to the skill set this type of dancing required; she'd just never tried it before.

It was then that she came to a realization. Kankuro, through a few tugs and twitches, had brought out qualities that she had never seen in herself before. She felt his eyes on her, and when she saw the concentration and intensity in them, she felt important. Precious. He wouldn't let her fall.

As her left leg extended, leaving all of her weight steadily balanced on the toes of her right foot, she felt solid and powerful.

As she left the ground in a weightless leap and Kankuro caught her with ease, she felt delicate and graceful.

As he lifted her high into the air, she took in the closing swell of the music and the wild cheering and she felt just the way he had described her earlier as they sat under the clouds: Beautiful.

She almost forgot to retake control of her own muscles and limbs when he lowered her to the floor and released the chakra's hold. He had an arm behind her back to brace her, so nobody saw her wobble slightly during the transition.

"The lovely Yamanaka Ino, ladies and gentlemen," Kankuro announced as the applause tapered. "Nicely done, Usagi-chan," he whispered, sending a chill up Ino's spine.

The sensation was heightened with a jolt of recognition when she spied an unexpected face in the back of the crowd.

* * *

After the audience dispersed, Ino separated from her partner and sauntered toward the dark-haired slacker, who made his way forward to meet her. Kankuro felt a creepy sense of déjà vu. _'What is he doing here?_' he thought.

"Shikamaru…" Ino practically purred. "Hi, Kiba," she added when she noticed her other friend and his canine companion. She scratched the dog behind his ears. "How are you, Akamaru?"

"That was pretty cool, Ino," Kiba commented. "I didn't know you could dance like that."

"That was all Kankuro, I'm afraid… I was just the puppet on that one." She blushed slightly, sneaking a peek at Shikamaru as she said it.

"I haven't talked to him in a while – I'm gonna go say 'hey.' Yo, Sabaku!" Kiba waved to Kankuro, leaving Shikamaru alone with Ino.

"Puppetry or not, it was still nice," the shadow user told the blonde quietly. "You looked…"

He paused for a second in search of an appropriate word, a rare occurrence for a Nara.

"…stunning."

"Oh, thanks." She twirled the end of her ponytail around her index finger, an action that Kankuro caught a glimpse of over Kiba's shoulder.

He was barely paying attention to a word Kiba was saying - the Inuzuka was yammering on about a wedding or something equally as stupid. He'd much rather be hearing the conversation on the other side of the room.

"Oh, and y'know what else? I nailed your sister last night."

"Huh?" Kankuro's eyes flitted back to Kiba's face at these words.

"I knew he wasn't paying attention." Kiba exchanged a knowing look with Akamaru. "What'sa matter?" he asked, jabbing his thumb toward Ino and Shikamaru, "Afraid there's gonna be a fire back there?"

"Something like that," Kankuro replied slowly.

Kiba decided to play dumb, just to see how much information he could get from the sand nin. "Temari's not the only lady causing tension between you guys these days, eh?"

"Not quite."

* * *

"Kiba seems to have perked up since earlier," Ino stated, observing his animated hand gestures as he spoke to Kankuro.

"Yeah," Shikamaru agreed. "That's kind of why I came by. He'll be fine without me today. You want to go out for ice cream, my treat? There's something I want to talk to you about."

Ino's heart bounced up into her throat. Shikamaru was asking her out? And he wanted to talk about something? This was promising. And even though she worked really hard to stay trim, she could never turn down ice cream. Shikamaru knew her too well.

She had to play it coy regardless of her desire to answer with a resounding affirmative. "I don't know… I've been getting kind of doughy lately," she strung the conversation along, poking her far-from-doughy stomach.

"What part of 'you look stunning' don't you grasp, you burden of a woman?" he asked with a smirk, taking her hand away from her abdomen and clasping it in his own.

She pulled it away gently, to her own surprise, asking, "What about Kankuro?"

"I'm sure he'll be okay with you spending a little time with an old friend," Shikamaru assured calmly. "Hey, Kankuro," he called, "mind if I borrow Ino for a bit?"

Kankuro really wanted to say yes, he did mind_, a lot_, but grudgingly remembered the plan he'd agreed to. "Go ahead. Just bring her back in one piece." He projected the friendliest, most light-hearted voice he could force past his lips without choking on the sarcasm.

"Thanks!" Shikamaru's mockingly jovial tone echoed in Kankuro's ears, setting his teeth on edge.

"Are you sure Miss Thing won't mind?" Ino asked Shikamaru.

"I think," Shikamaru murmured darkly, offering his arm to her, "that just this once, she doesn't have to know."

Ino didn't know how else to respond to Shikamaru's words and behavior other than a flirty "Okay..."

She felt a little guilty about taking off like this, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity. She let him lead her away, wiggling her fingers in farewell at Kiba and Kankuro, who clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails began cutting into his palms.

This reaction got Kiba's attention. "You okay?" he asked.

"What do _you_ think, dog breath?" Kankuro snapped.

"Dude… calm down."

"Why should I? In case you forgot, that guy's my sister's boyfriend. By my count, that makes him a two-timer. I'm gonna kick his ass."

Kankuro stalked toward the door Ino and Shikamaru had just exited.

"Whoa… wait a minute!" Kiba yelped. Akamaru grabbed the back of Kankuro's shirt in his teeth.

"Let go of me, mutt," Kankuro growled, trying to free himself.

"Akamaru, let him go," Kiba commanded, then looked up into Kankuro's eyes. "Seriously, don't run after them and do something rash. It may be nothing."

"Yeah, right… I know their history."

Kankuro had consented to this arrangement, but he still felt like he'd been played. He knew how this story was meant to end. He wasn't supposed to get the girl in the end - he was helping her win someone else back. But he'd let himself fall for her anyway like a chump.

"Damn it," he sighed, finally unclenching his fists. He'd drawn blood. He quickly pulled his gloves out of his pocket and yanked them on to cover the ugly red imprints. "Why is it always about him?"

"You sound a lot like someone else I know very well who went through this sort of thing," Kiba answered. "Hell, he's still dealing with it."

"The third person narrative's not necessary, Lassie."

Kiba laughed and sat on the edge of the stage, patting the wood beside him.

"Let me tell you something about Ino and Shikamaru," he continued once Kankuro reluctantly joined him. "They've known each other since the first day of Academy, and they've been together on and off almost that entire time. She's the only girl he's ever really cared about… at least she was until he met your sister."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm telling you this because it's been tough for both of them to move on. I think deep down, he wants to make his relationship with Temari work, but he has to let go of Ino. And if Ino wants to be with you, she has to let go of him first. They have a choice to make, and you barging in and deckin' him won't solve anything."

"I'd feel a hell of a lot better," Kankuro confessed.

"Not in the long run, trust me," Kiba warned. "When Hinata and I were broken up, all I thought about for a while was hunting Uzumaki down and beating his face in, but I knew it was pointless. I had to let her deal with her past with him and come back to me in her own time. Did it hurt? Yeah – like a bitch. But nothing can speed up that process. How patient you're willing to be depends on how strong your feelings are… and how hard your head is. Me… I'd've been stubborn enough to wait around for my girl forever."

"That's kinda profound," Kankuro said, only half kidding. "Almost Zen. You're smarter than I thought." He delivered the compliment with a wry smile.

"Thanks," Kiba replied, placing a hand on the puppeteer's shoulder. "C'mon. Let's get out of here."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N – Seems like I hit a creative streak every couple of years and come back here. Guess it's that time again. *lol* I'm hoping to finish most of my stories this time, if not all. I also hope some of my previous readers are still hanging around or at least have me on email notification. I'm looking at you, Wolfie-chan (SilverWolfStar)! Speaking of which, Wolfie-chan beta-read a good chunk of the next chapter oh, so long ago.

For those of you who are/were reading "After All," I did some extensive edits to the last chapter because it was super-lame. I am working on continuing it.

Kishi's characters; my story.

_Italics = flashback_

* * *

**Chapter 6**

After they were seated with their treats (Ino's was flavored with white peach and Shikamaru chose green tea), he started the conversation on an airy note.

"So you really like this Kankuro character," he stated after his first bite, more matter-of-factly than in the form of a question.

"He's okay… for now." She tried to sound flippant as she toyed with a napkin. It took some effort, which made her a little bit uneasy.

"You're a terrible liar." Shikamaru smirked, pointing his spoon at her.

"I'm not lying! I like him well enough... We have fun."

"Don't downplay it... I've seen you guys together. Your face hasn't lit up that way since I gave you those earrings for your birthday a few years ago."

"Really?" Ino remarked. She hadn't thought about that in a long time.

"Yeah… you remember, don't you?"

"Of course..."

* * *

_The bell on the door of the flower shop tinkled, catching her attention._

_She looked up from the counter to lay eyes on a familiar face. "Oh, hi!" She smiled brightly. "What brings you here?"_

_"I heard you have a birthday today." The boy she'd known for years and had been on a few dates with gave her a lazy grin._

_"You heard right," she laughed._

_"Any plans?"_

_"My parents are taking me out for dinner."_

_"Can you spare me a few minutes between now and then?"_

_"Sure. I'm actually closing up now."_

_She walked over to the door and flipped the "Open" sign, then approached the dark-haired shinobi. "What did you need?"_

_"I have something for you." He presented her with a tiny purple velvet box. "Happy birthday." Her usually cool and calm teammate cleared his throat nervously as she took it._

_She slowly lifted the lid and gasped at the silver hoop earrings inside._

_"You said you liked mine, so..."_

_"They're amazing!" she exclaimed, giving him a grateful kiss on the cheek. "Thank you!"_

_"So you'll accept them, then?_

_She looked up at him with a confused expression._

_"I have just one condition. If you accept them, you accept me. Me only."_

_"Are you asking me..."_

_"If I have to spell it out, yeah... I... I wanna be your guy."_

_"Well, what are you waiting for? Ask away! And make it classy!" she bossed him with a mischievous look on her face._

_He sighed. "Here I am, trying to be creative, and you ruin it. Such a pain... but okay."_

_He took her hand that wasn't holding the earring box._

_"Miss Yamanaka, will you be my girlfriend?"_

_"It depends, Mister Nara..." she countered coyly, reciprocating the playful formality. "What kind of boyfriend will you be?"_

_"I'll be the kind of boyfriend who appreciates you and tends to your needs, no matter what a drag it may be," he replied with a smirk, inching closer to her._

_"Well, in that case," she answered, "I accept. I'll be your girlfriend. But I have a condition, too."_

_"What's that, you burden of a woman?"_

_"Swallow your pride and admit it already."_

_"Admit what?"_

_"Don't play dumb, Shika. You know what I mean."_

_"Oh, fine..." He rolled his eyes , but then looked at her with a bit of a blush as he spoke the three words she'd waited to hear for so long..._

* * *

"I love you," Shikamaru stated in the straightforward, lazy, but charming tone he'd used his entire life, taking her free hand.

Ino gasped, dropping the spoonful of ice cream she had just raised to her lips with a clatter. That was the last thing on Earth she had expected him to say.

"But because of that," he continued slowly, "I need to let you be happy. If Kankuro's who you want now, that's fine by me."

Ino wanted to say something; anything, but she had neither the words nor the ability to speak them at the moment. She was paralyzed with shock.

"Nobody will replace you, of course," Shikamaru went on, sounding uncharacteristically vulnerable. "You were my first love. But I really care about Temari. If it's over between you and me now, I have to focus on her. I can't do this relationship halfway or it won't work."

"I… understand," was all Ino could choke out. Where did this come from? The Shikamaru she knew would never bare his soul like this.

He released her hand. "Good. That's all I really wanted to say. I just didn't think it would be an appropriate thing to tell you in front of anyone. You know how people talk."

"Yeah." Ino was just catching her breath, completely missing the irony of Shikamaru's concern about gossip.

Shikamaru looked regretful and very uncomfortable. "This... was a pretty heavy thing to lay on you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Ino replied in an almost-automatic monotone. She had no idea how else to respond.

Shikamaru stood from his seat and leaned over the table, placing a feather-light kiss on her cheek.

"You know where to find me if you ever need a friend, Ino."

With a small, sad smile, the guy she'd been fixated on for the majority of her teen years walked out of the shop, leaving her to her thoughts.

* * *

When Ino arrived home, Kankuro was waiting. "Can we take a walk?"

"Sure," she answered, against her better judgment. Something seemed weird about him. In fact, something seemed weird about the whole situation. How long had he been there? Didn't he have anything better to do?

They strolled in silence for a while on the quiet streets. It was dusk. The sky was a hazy, pinkish orange. Ino was admiring it and trying to process Shikamaru's words when she felt Kankuro slip an arm around her waist.

She didn't recoil; in fact, she leaned into him slightly. _'No sense wasting the free mood lighting,'_ she thought, a little too casually.

She wasn't completely sure how she felt about Kankuro, but she could admit that she was at least physically attracted to him. Bodily contact with him was easy, comforting, sometimes exhilarating – occasionally electrifying and tender at the same time, like when they were cloud-gazing. He was very hard to resist, putting it mildly.

Kankuro had decided after his chat with Kiba that he wanted to try a different tack than playing the predetermined loser. He was going to step up his effort to win Ino over, starting with exploiting their obvious chemistry. Why not play an advantageous angle?

"You want to hear something funny?" the sand shinobi's voice rumbled in Ino's ear, causing a tingle in the base of her spine.

She clenched her teeth, fighting the urge to shiver as she answered him. "Hmm?"

"I think Nara was sporting some serious wood when he was watching you earlier…." Kankuro chuckled deep in his throat, sending another buzzing wave through Ino's body. "Not that I blame him. I'd have grabbed you up and run off, too, if he hadn't beaten me to it."

Ino giggled and shifted in his arm to look at him. "Oh, yeah?"

Kankuro stopped walking and turned to face her. "Are you kidding? For such a confident girl, you sure are insecure!" he remarked incredulously. "Believe me when I say you looked damn fine, especially the way your body was moving." He looked her up and down appreciatively for emphasis. "It was a pretty nice show, if I do say so myself," he added in self-congratulation.

Ino displayed an expression that was partially accusatory but mostly playful. "You totally get off on having absolute power over a person! Figures."

Kankuro's face darkened with a smile she had never seen before and his voice was somehow different as he brought his fingertips under her chin, thumb running across her bottom lip.

"Not just _any_ person…"

With that, this was no longer simple, flirtatious banter. Sparks flew.

It started innocently enough. Just a kiss. A small, fairly tame kiss – initiated by neither, really, but drawing them together like magnets. It became readily apparent that neither of them was prepared for it to end there. As they spiraled into this unforeseen dalliance, they laughed together between light touches of their mouths, their eyes sparkling and their hands entwining. After the amused awe wore off, however, the intensity picked up rapidly.

Ino's heart was racing as she grabbed Kankuro's shirt collar and pulled him closer, separating from his lips just long enough to drag him into a nearby alley. She had no idea what she was doing, attacking him this way. It was like he was using his puppet strings on her again - she couldn't control her own body. She knew it was wrong, but she was physically incapable of stopping herself. She groaned in a combination of frustration and excitement.

Kankuro heard this and did not waste any time taking the cue. He found her ribs underneath her shirt and traced a delicate pattern across them. Ino brought her arms around his neck as her back arched. He lifted her off the ground and her legs instinctively encircled him. He gripped a thigh with one hand, cradled the back of her head with the other and slowly rested her back against the nearest wall as their devouring kisses grew more heated. Soon the world swirled into nonexistence, leaving nothing but pure, blazing fire between them.

A loud, crashing sound brought them back to reality with a jolt. A cat had knocked over a trash can, reminding the two of the very public place where their fervent makeout session was taking place. They said nothing, only staring at each other with flushed faces and shallow breath. They didn't have to speak. The urgency of the moment allowed them to communicate almost telepathically.

_'Back to my place?'_ Kankuro's raised eyebrows inquired.

'_YES,'_ Ino's slightly parted lips and wide eyes demanded.

Kankuro scooped Ino up and sprinted several blocks to the embassy, which was mercifully empty. He fumbled with his key briefly before crossing the threshold with Ino in his arms. He took her in another hungry embrace against the door as soon as it was closed. She was just as eager as he was to pick up where they had left off.

"Oh, Kami…" Ino gasped as Kankuro nipped at her collarbone.

"What were you saying earlier about absolute power?" he growled, pinning her wrists above her head. Their gazes locked and they were engulfed in flames again.

"I…. "

Her mind floundered for coherent words, and only three came:

"I want you."

He stared at her predatorily. "You don't have to tell me twice."


	7. Chapter 7

For those of you guys who read the first draft of chapter 6, you may want to go back and reread it before reading this one. I've added a lot to it and made it much juicier. This chapter continues the juiciness. ;)

A/N: Kishi still owns Naruto and all his friends. No Lee-kun for me. *sigh*

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Ino and Kankuro both knew sleeping together would be a terrible idea - it would complicate everything. No good could possibly come of it.

They truly hadn't cared at the time. They were too overcome with lust. Putting on the brakes was no longer an option.

_'Fuck it,_' they'd both thought, nearly in unison, as they tumbled into bed and recklessly reveled in each other's bodies.

It was so unexpectedly, mind-blowingly good, it verged on nirvana. They teased, fondled, tasted and fulfilled one another expertly and effortlessly.

Their ill-advised carnal foray still wasn't a problem in their minds as they drifted out of consciousness half-clothed and entangled afterward.

The next day was a different story.

Ino woke confused. As her eyes adjusted to the sunlight coming in through the window, it dawned on her that she was not in her own room. She then remembered the events that had transpired the night before. As this colossal realization hit her, she felt Kankuro stretch beside her, draping a lethargic arm across her body.

"Good morning, Usagi-chan…" He grinned through half-lidded eyes and disheveled hair.

Ino sat bolt upright, noticing when she looked down that she was wearing Kankuro's shirt. "Oh, no…"

"Well, that's not a very friendly greeting first thing in the morning," Kankuro drawled drowsily with a laugh in his voice, "especially considering how _friendly_ we got last night."

"You're vile," Ino mumbled.

"Thank you," her bedfellow replied with a flourish by way of a reclining bow. "Lie back down for a few minutes, baby… you don't have to do the Walk of Shame yet."

"I'm not your 'baby,'" the blonde sulked.

The older Sand brother attempted to pull her back down beside him, but she resolved to keep her back perfectly stiff.

"Okay, fine… I'm sorry," he said in an exaggerated whine. "but c'mon… I need you. It's cold."

"Who's the 'baby' now?"

"Hey… where's your sense of hospitality?"

"We're not at my house, dummy."

"All the more reason for you to be hospitable… as an act of gratitude for _my_ hospitality." Kankuro gave a theatrical wink.

"You're having _way_ too much fun with this."

The kunoichi was repressing some amusement in the situation herself, still managing to keep a grumpy tone.

"Hell, yeah, I am. Seriously, though, get your cute little ass back down here."

Ino finally relented, even allowing herself to laugh a little as Kankuro's arms snaked around her again. However, she was soon distracted with the obvious challenge she was now facing.

"You need to know something," Kankuro said, nuzzling her shoulder.

Ino snapped back to the present, away from the conversation she'd had with Shikamaru the day before. Her attention was back on her current companion.

"What's that?"

"I've been thinking about our plan..." Kankuro began apprehensively, idly running his fingers down the length of her arm to cup her hand in his.

She rolled over and looked at him questioningly. "Can this wait until we have clothes on?"

* * *

To avoid the aforementioned "Walk of Shame," Ino escaped through Kankuro's window and leapt across rooftops to get home. They agreed to meet on the roof of the embassy after they'd showered and changed clothes.

"So, what did you want to discuss about the plan?" Ino asked. "I think it's working so well! You've been a great fake boyfriend." She patted Kankuro's chest. "I think Shika's had almost all he can take. It's about time for the final act - the breakup."

"Well…" Kankuro scratched the back of his head. "That's kind of what I wanted to talk to you about." He bit his lip. "Maybe… we don't have to break up."

"What do you mean?"

"This whole thing was a bad idea. I wish I hadn't gone along with it this long before saying something. I don't like the guy, but Temari does. A lot. I don't want to screw that up for her."

"There's no way you're backing out now! Where would that leave me?"

"With… me? Think about it. For real, not as a stupid ploy to mess with Nara. I'm perfectly content to replace him. It'll be an upgrade, trust me. I'll make sure of it."

"What in the hell are you talking about?"

"There's no easy way to do this, so I'm just gonna put it out on the line for ya."

Kankuro breathed deeply and his face took on a look of thorough concentration. He reached out to smooth a lock of fair hair away from her face and stared intently into captivating robin's egg blue eyes.

"Ino... I think I'm in love with you. And not just the pretend kind."

"Excuse me?" Ino cried in surprise. To hear her, one would assume Kankuro had just said something grievously lewd about her mother rather than confessing his love for her.

"I said... I lov-"

Ino slapped him as hard as she could. He stood and took it, not even wincing at the sting.

"How can you do this to me?" she shrieked.

"I… I didn't mean to," Kankuro whispered, unable to command his voice to be any louder or stronger. "It just happened."

Ino fumed, taking in the sheer unfairness of it all. She had Shikamaru right where she wanted him, but then Kankuro had to ruin it by being sweet, sincere, funny, adorable, sexy, _phenomenal_ in bed... all at the worst possible moment. Damn him!

"No…" She paced. "No, no, no, no… It's not supposed to be like this."

Kankuro found his voice after the initial stupefaction wore off. He felt frazzled now. Compressed. Almost angry, but not quite.

"Well, guess what? It _is_ like this." He ran his hands through his hair in frustration. "Don't stand there and tell me all the time we've spent together... everything we've _done_... was _only acting_."

Ino sighed. She was going to hate herself for what she was about to say, but she _had_ to say it, even if it made her sound like a heartless ice queen. It was the only way.

"You always knew what this was… and what it wasn't and _still isn't. _If this is about the sex, yes, it was _amazing_... but that's _all_ it was - sex. Accidental sex."

"...Ouch, sweetheart," Kankuro replied in a failed attempt at snark. His breath had been knocked out of him by the harsh assertion as if he'd been punched in the gut. He rubbed his cheek, which now hosted a red, hand-sized mark.

"This isn't just about getting laid - you _know_ that. This is real. I know you see it, too. If you'd take the damn blinders off and give me a chance, you might actually be able to let yourself feel something for me."

"I don't _want_ to feel anything for you."

Ino's words filled the air with a chill. They hurt Kankuro worse than the slap.

His voice lowered again, and what he said next was only a few notes shy of a whimper.

"You don't mean that, Usagi-chan…" The raw pain in his voice was agonizing to hear.

"Yes, I do. And don't call me that." She was fighting tears. "I... I have to go. I'm sorry."

"For Kami's sake…" Kankuro was resisting a prickling sensation in his own eyes. He didn't dare move to stop Ino from running away. All he had left was his dignity, and even that was shaky as he stood there, staring at the ground through blurry lenses.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: I made a LOT of edits to the last 2 chapters, so if you haven't read the new versions, I highly recommend doing so before you go on.

For the record, I wrestled for a really long time with how I wanted to handle the physical attraction and tension between Ino and Kankuro, and ultimately, their hormones won out. I hope I didn't jump the shark with that decision. It just seemed like the natural thing to do to add some drama and, of course, some sexiness... Y'know - for the kids. ;)

I wanted to describe Kankuro's eyes in this chapter, but since I can't find any pictures of him from the anime or manga depicting an eye color other than black, I interpreted that to mean that they are a very dark brown.

Anyway, here's the final (omg i'm finishing something!) chapter. The "Naruto" series and all characters therein are the property of Masashi Kishimoto.

Please review - I'll love you forever.

I know I posted this chapter before, but after I read over it again, I realized I rushed it out and I wanted to make some massive edits.

* * *

**Chapter 8**

Ino did not do one-night stands.

At least she hadn't before her interlude with Kankuro a few days ago.

During her on-and-off relationship with Shikamaru, she had dated other guys in the "off" times, and she fooled around with a few of them. She generally waited until she'd established some semblance of an exclusive relationship and allowed an appropriate amount of time to pass. She wanted to make sure they weren't jerks who would just use her and dump her. She realized with a lump in her throat that she had become one of those jerks.

Kankuro genuinely had feelings for her and she'd stomped all over them. She'd acted rashly because he caught her off guard. She'd said some awful things to him.

Ino wondered why she was so surprised when Kankuro told her how he felt. Looking back, it was obvious.

It was obvious in the way he teased her, the way he found excuses to touch her, and the way his entire disposition changed whenever he saw her approaching him.

Ino had also previously neglected to notice that when Kankuro teased her, she pretended to be annoyed, but really thought it was fun. She didn't simply tolerate his touch; she savored it. She felt like the most beautiful living thing on Earth when she entered his field of vision and saw him brighten.

Even the way he treated her in the throes of desire made it obvious. While his lovemaking was firm and dominating, it held an undercurrent of concern. He never let her head touch the bed without gently easing a pillow under it. He took care to always return to her mouth with soft, sweet, desperate kisses after lavishing attention on each other part of her anatomy. Between deftly-timed applications of pressure and moisture, he seemed to peer into her soul, searching for acceptance.

As her scorching blood had rushed to her nerve endings, forcing Kankuro's name from her lungs in an unfamiliar wail, Ino felt fully alive and aware. Looking up at him afterward, she was pleasantly surprised by the wonder in the observant, black-coffee eyes memorizing her face. When he held her close while they fell asleep, she felt safer and more treasured than she ever had before. Even their silly bickering in the morning was kind of nice.

'_How did I not see all this before?'_ she thought, but immediately knew the answer.

The puppeteer was right. She'd been so intent on snaring Shikamaru, she had been completely blind to what was happening right in front of her. How could she be so clueless?

Shikamaru's heartfelt confession finally clicked into place. She _got it_ now. He had figured out what was going on before she did. He wasn't giving her an opening to get back together; he was really letting her go.

Her knees went a little weak as this epiphany landed squarely on her chest. She stopped her aimless walking through the village to sit on the deserted bridge. She dangled her legs over the edge and stared at her wavy reflection in the water below, warring with herself in her mind.

"Why so glum, Barbie?"

Ino jumped at the sound of the abrasive female voice addressing her.

"Oh… Hi, Temari-san." She stood and faced the other, a sickening combination of embarrassment and fear rolling over her.

"I tried to warn my idiot brother you'd break his heart."

"I… " Ino began, trying to think of a way to explain herself without provoking a pummeling.

"Don't try to make excuses. I know exactly what your game is."

Ino gulped as Temari crossed her arms over her chest. She hoped it wasn't audible.

"I know you started this whole thing with him to make Shikamaru jealous," Temari asserted.

Ino nodded apprehensively, knowing it was pointless to try to lie. _'Please don't let her kill me,'_ she mentally prayed to all the higher powers she could think of.

"But now you actually have feelings for him, right?"

"Yes..." The fair-haired one hung her head.

"Wanna know how I know that?" The sand kunoichi asked.

"Well… ah… Yes?" Ino replied, petrified.

"Because I've been there. I've been there with Shikamaru, even."

"What?" It wasn't the most intelligent response, but Ino was taken aback at Temari's admission.

"Yeah. I had a boyfriend in Suna. We broke up. I started spending more time with Shikamaru as a ruse to get that guy to notice me again. On the way, I started to actually like Shikamaru."

Temari's normally stoic expression was no more. A nostalgic half-smile took its place.

"Eventually, I realized I loved the lazy dork. That's when I decided to forget about the other loser."

"But... Shika's not a loser!" Ino stated defensively, "You know that."

"Yeah…" Temari responded with a laugh. "As hard as he tries to be, he's not a loser. But he's not right for you. And I'm not just saying that because I want him for myself."

"Then why _are_ you saying that?

"Because Kankuro is _perfect_ for you. Shikamaru and I both saw it. You two are shitty actors, so it was obvious when the feelings stopped being a show and became real."

"So... you knew all along?"

"Yep. And I'll admit I was angry at first. But then I saw what was happening between you and Kankuro, whether you realized it or not... and how much it was messing with Shikamaru's head. Shikamaru's a good guy, but he's not perfect - he has hangups to work through like anyone else, and I can't fault him for that."

Ino wasn't sure whether to be relieved or unnerved by the composure Temari was displaying. She really had expected to be nothing but a smear on the ground by this point.

"I knew you were the first person Shikamaru ever loved, just like the guy before him was for me. I told him he had to talk to you and sort this out if he wanted to be with me. He needed the closure, and I hoped it would point you in the right direction. Gaara went back to Suna and I found another place to stay so you and Kankuro could have a private place to talk, but you had to be difficult."

"Wow…" Ino sighed, still absorbing Temari's words. "All of it makes so much sense. I am so stupid!"

"Well… yeah," Temari affirmed, amused. "But so is he. See what I mean? You're just right for each other... which is why I'm giving you a second chance." She clapped a firm hand on Ino's shoulder and smiled dangerously. "Don't screw it up."

As she watched the eldest Suna sibling walk away, Ino knew what she had to do. She was scared witless about actually going through with it, though. How could she tell Kankuro everything she was feeling? He would never believe her after the way she'd behaved! She wrestled with these thoughts until she realized she was at the door of the embassy. Her body seemed to have carried her there of its own accord. She raised a shaky hand to knock, but she didn't get the chance.

"Hey..." Kankuro said softly after opening the door to her.

She became acutely aware that she was blushing. She felt hot all over with shame.

She had treated Kankuro like garbage. "Hey" was not what she was expecting to hear. She'd earned much worse.

"Hi. I... need to talk to you."

Ino had been so comfortable with him just a few days before. Everything was second nature when they were together, but now she could barely look up at his face. He was different somehow. Tired. Beaten.

_'Heartbroken,'_ she thought with a pang of guilt.

"Okay. Come in." Kankuro stepped aside to let her into the room and gestured to the couch. She perched nervously on the edge of the seat closest to the door. He sat on the other end.

"How're you doing, Usagi-chan?" Kankuro tested the moniker in a soft tone. "You look good." It was not lost on him that the kunoichi had her hair in a low ponytail hanging over her left shoulder.

Ino raised her head, taking in his appearance more fully. She noticed that the sand nin's hat was absent, exposing wild brown hair. He also didn't have a spot of face paint on except for the thin stripes lining his eyes.

"Thanks... You, too," she answered, smiling almost imperceptibly.

She had never heard herself this timid-sounding before. She was practically mimicking Hinata. She felt a knot forming in her stomach, thinking about how badly she had mistreated the shinobi beside her, who was now being so inexplicably kind in return.

"Listen... I'm… _so sorry_ about what I said to you. It was just horrible and uncalled for... and _wrong_."

"Don't worry about it. I forgive you. I understand."

The look of confusion on the kunoichi's flawless face prompted Kankuro to continue. He rubbed the back of his neck to calm some of the stress-tensed muscles.

"Look... I didn't get in on this thing lookin' to get all twitterpated over somebody, either." Some of his characteristic sarcasm crept back in with this statement. "I decided to go along with a half-baked scheme to spring my sister free from Nara because a hot blonde suggested it when her loud, pink-haired friend threw us together."

Ino wrung her hands in her lap. "Then... it's settled, I guess. No feelings; no attachments. Right?"

She was incredibly conflicted as she said this, but she'd determined upon seeing his sad face behind the door that it was best to make a clean break before the situation could get any messier. She knew now that she loved him, but she had hurt him so badly that she was sure he wouldn't take her back.

"Afraid it's not that easy for me," Kankuro said with a sigh. "I talk a good game, but I'm not bulletproof. I wasn't kiddin' when I said fell hard for ya. Can't just turn that off."

Ino, for one of the very few times in her life, was at a loss for words. "Oh," was all she could bring herself to say before the puppet master went on.

"It started as a way to get Temari away from that jerk. Then it became a contest in my head, seeing how much better of a 'boyfriend' I could be than him. Then it turned into... well... this."

He poked himself in the chest to illustrate what he meant by "this," as if there were any doubt.

"So what now?" she asked, a little dazed by his frankness.

"I dunno about you, but since this annoying 'love' thing's not goin' away any time soon, the only thing I can do about it is listen to it. Sorry, sweetheart, but I'm not givin' up. You're stuck with me." The corners of his mouth twitched upward slightly. "You wouldn't be here if you didn't feel something too. That's as good a starting point as any."

"Are you serious?" Ino asked, stricken with fresh remorse. "I was _terrible_ to you. I have no idea what I'm doing here... I am _bad for you_ in every way. Trust me - I'm doing you a favor by staying away from you. You'll be glad later when you meet a girl who deserves you."

She stood quickly. She had to get out of there. She turned to the door before he could see her start to cry.

She'd taken exactly two and a half steps when she felt a hand on her shoulder, turning her back in the opposite direction.

"You can't just walk away from this, Ino. We have something... something really good."

"But..."

Kankuro lifted his hand from Ino's shoulder, signaling to her with an open palm that she should hear him out. His black coffee eyes reflected renewed determination as they looked into robin's egg blue ones.

"I'm _NOT Nara_. That's why we work! He did nothing but bitch about you, right? Not me. I whine, but you know I think your bossiness is hot. You don't let people make you feel inferior. You're sexy and you know it - Hell, you've refined using that to your advantage into a high art. You're strong. You're beautiful. You're smart, terrifying, and a royal pain in my ass. And I fucking love all those things."

Once again, Ino was speechless.

"Well..." Kankuro urged nervously, "Say something?"

Finally, after what felt like years, Ino managed to answer.

"That's a novel approach, Neko-chan - a romantic monologue that contains the words 'bitch,' 'hell,' 'ass,' and 'fuck.'" She counted off the swears on her fingers as she recited them. "Consider my pants charmed right off."

When they made eye contact again, they couldn't help themselves. They laughed.

They laughed until their eyes watered.

They were laughing so hard, they had to hold onto each other to stay upright, then eventually gave up on that and fell back onto the couch.

Kankuro took Ino's face in his hands, drying her eyes with his thumbs.

"I've _really_ missed you."

"I've missed you, too," Ino sincerely told him, wrapping her arms around his waist and tucking her head under his to rest on his chest. He reciprocated the embrace, smoothing her hair.

"Have you reconsidered my offer?" The old, familiar Kankuro was back, a sly wink in his voice. "Or are ya gonna slap me again for askin'?"

She giggled softly. "I won't slap you again. If your offer still stands, then I accept... If you think you can handle me."

"Are you kidding? I love spending my off-duty time on wild rides."

"Neko-chan... don't ruin the moment by being gross."

"Hey... I was talkin' about Ferris wheel roulette," Kankuro said in an exaggeratedly innocent tone. "Not my fault if your mind interpreted something different, you dirty girl."

"Shut up!" Ino protested, laughing again, "...or I'll show you just how dirty I can be."

"Well, then... Bring it on. I'm up for a shocking discovery or three."

Silence fell for a few seconds as they sat there holding each other. The subtext was gone. It was just the two of them.

"Kankuro?" Ino said quietly.

"Yeah?" Kankuro immediately fixed his eyes on hers as she pulled away, taking his hands.

She started hesitantly. "Now that we've kind of settled things, I need to ask you something. It's kind of important."

His brow furrowed in concern. "What is it?"

"It's nothing to worry about, silly! I just want to know if you'll be my date to Hinata and Kiba's wedding. Everyone's going to be there and I can't go alone."

"Our first official date as a real couple. As non-pretend boyfriend and girlfriend. Do you still only pretend love me?"

Ino blushed again. "Not exactly. Why else would I be here?"

Kankuro scooped her up and gathered her into his lap. The false naivete returned to his tone. "I thought you were here just to apologize."

"That was the plan, but it didn't quite go that way." The kunoichi felt warm inside as the shinobi brushed hair away from her face with his fingers, tucking it behind her ear.

"Say it." His voice both pleaded and commanded that she answer him.

She brought her arms up to encircle his neck.

"I love y-"

Before Ino could finish her sentence, Kankuro covered her mouth with a kiss, which escalated quickly into what they both would later agree was the best way to make up ever.

* * *

A/N: Well, that's it! I'm still not sure I won't tweak a few things, but I've been working on this chapter for a while, and if I keep sitting on it and compulsively editing it, it'll never get out there. Please review!


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